The arrest of Nhlanhla Msimango in connection with the murder of Siphiwe Nhlapo happened about two weeks ago near Jo'burg in Gauteng province, reports Eyewitness News. Msimango is scheduled to appear in court today.

Msimango had been evading arrest for over a year and was detained after a hijacking in Dobsonville. Police are investigating whether he is connected to the murder of Siphiwe Nhlapo after relatives of the victim identified him.

Nhlapo was found dead in his Kliptown home in September 2011. Police found that he had been strangled and that his face was covered in acid. It is believed that Msimango murdered Siphiwe Nhlapo. The police have noted that the modus operandi was similar to that of the other victims.

There have been three other arrests, reports the Saturday Star. The only other arrests linked to the serial murders came in the case of Norwood resident Barney van Heerden.
"Three men were arrested for the crime and their trial begins next
month, but they have not been forensically linked to any of the other
crimes."

More than two years ago, detectives lost valuable video surveillance footage of one victim who was seen with an unknown man shortly before his death. Public pressure forced authorities to create an inter-agency task force
after investigating offcers were criticized as incompetent.

Same-sex acts are currently illegal in at least 38 of 54 African countries. Four nations—Mauritania, Nigeria, Somalia and Sudan—boast the death penalty for gays
or same-sex activity. South Africa and Seychelles are the only African
nations that protect LGBT rights. South Africa is also the only African
nation to guarantee marriage equality and gay adoption.

An estimated "510 women report being the victims of “corrective” rape
every year in South Africa and 31 lesbians have been murdered over the
past 10 years because of their sexual orientation," according to South African human rights activist Ndumie Funda. The government has announced it will introduce hate crime legislation, "which would include laws to prosecute physical and verbal attacks on foreigners and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people."

Comments

This is an outrage. These killings have been going on for three years and they are just making an arrest now? I bet you there would have been an arrest years ago if all the victims were wealthhy white men in Cape Town.

Too many of us leave ourselves vulnerable. Too many of us expect an "intimate guest" to behave with civility. We end up risking our lives. Gay men who love other Gay men are the smartest and mentally healthiest. We queens who like "trade" are...well,...risky.